08-07-2007, 12:32 AM
....and just to add to our uncertainty, Herodotus, speaking of casualties, says Sparta lost "91 killed", Tegeans "lost 16", and the "Athenians 52" - earlier, referring to the Megarians and others who rush forward in a mob, and get badly cut up by Theban cavalry -" killing 600 of them", and the remainder are driven in flight. He doesn't mention any other contingent's casualties.
But then, speaking of the spartan Callicrates ( "the handsomest man in the army"), Herodotus tells us he was killed crouching behind his shield by a Persian arrow, and was carried away lamenting his inability to strike a blow.Herodotus says he "died outside the battle", clearly implying that those killed before the hand-to-hand struggle didn't count as 'dying in battle' , and were not among 'the honoured dead'.Further, there is no mention of the wounded or those who died of wounds subsequently.
By comparison, Plutarch gives a total of 1360 killed. Both these figures will be in relation to Hoplites only, and make no allowance for psiloi
(light skirmishers with javelins and slings - helots and the like. )
For wounded, a reasonable estimate might be 10 for every 1 killed.
Just goes to show, with all the different factors at play, and allowing for others such as those Aryaman2 referred to( though it might be noted that almost half were 'knocked down'), that casualty estimation is just that - a guessing game !! :? ? lol:
But then, speaking of the spartan Callicrates ( "the handsomest man in the army"), Herodotus tells us he was killed crouching behind his shield by a Persian arrow, and was carried away lamenting his inability to strike a blow.Herodotus says he "died outside the battle", clearly implying that those killed before the hand-to-hand struggle didn't count as 'dying in battle' , and were not among 'the honoured dead'.Further, there is no mention of the wounded or those who died of wounds subsequently.
By comparison, Plutarch gives a total of 1360 killed. Both these figures will be in relation to Hoplites only, and make no allowance for psiloi
(light skirmishers with javelins and slings - helots and the like. )
For wounded, a reasonable estimate might be 10 for every 1 killed.
Just goes to show, with all the different factors at play, and allowing for others such as those Aryaman2 referred to( though it might be noted that almost half were 'knocked down'), that casualty estimation is just that - a guessing game !! :? ? lol:
"dulce et decorum est pro patria mori " - Horace
(It is a sweet and proper thing to die for ones country)
"No son-of-a-bitch ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country" - George C Scott as General George S. Patton
Paul McDonnell-Staff
(It is a sweet and proper thing to die for ones country)
"No son-of-a-bitch ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country" - George C Scott as General George S. Patton
Paul McDonnell-Staff
